We explored Thune’s claim and found that the truth wasn’t close to what he said.

From PolitiFact:

The summary of the proposed rules stated they “would impact only hired farm workers and in no way compromise the statutory child labor parental exemption involving children working on farms owned or operated by their parents.”

While the Labor Department has sought to tighten safety rules for minors working on farms, the proposal specifically did notban kids from doing basic chores, the Miami Herald says.

Thune had been railing against this idea for months – even sponsoring a bill to stop it, so I wasn’t surprised to hear him bring it up during his speech. Well, maybe I was a little surprised since the Labor folks said back in April that they would drop the idea.

As for Thune being a pants-on-fire liar, that one is still too hot to touch here at the Republic Insider. Without poring over the mind-numbing Labor proposal, I suspect it’s based in a difference of perception over what constitutes a “basic chore” and a “parental exemption.” (My own husband earned money working summers on a farm run by his step-dad.)

Thune has a reputation, in South Dakota at least, as a straight shooter. But please do keep those pants away from open flames, senator!